Defense Travel System
Overview
Approving Official
Policy &
Responsibilities
Dafense Travel System
Training
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7/18/2006
Defense Travel System
Approving Official
The AO/CO in DTS is the individual in the traveler's
supervisory chain who
> Controls the mission
□ Directs/authorizes travel (Authorizatio
D Certifies travel claims (Voucher)
□ Determines funds availability/obligates travel
funds
D Approves trip arrangements/travel expenses
□ Documents all exceptions to normal travel policy
D Applies the "APPROVED" stamp in DTS
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Approving Official
Requirements
Defense Travel System
✓ Must be appointed in writing as an
Accountable Official on DD Form 577 and a
Letter of Designation
http://www.dod.mil/comptroller/fmr/05/05_33
✓ Must complete Certifying Officer Legislation
(COL) training
https : //www. saff m . hq .af . m i l/coaotut/
✓ Both DD 577 and COL certificate must b
kept
on file per DoDFMR Vol 5. para 110
the
LDTA (FDTA)
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Defense Travel System
Pecuniary
Liability
Why are AOs pecuniary liable for payments
they certify?
Public law 104-106 section 913 states that
for the Department of Defense, individuals
that certify payments must not be in the
same organization as the disbursing official
Additional information can be found in the
DoD FMR, Volume 9, Chapter 33
http://www.dod.mil/comptroller/fmr/09/09_03
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Defense Travel System
Pecuniary
Liability
■•An AO/CO has unlimited pecuniary liability for all
payments that they certify
D If you certify an authorization or voucher that i<
legal, proper, or correct, purposely or notry° u may be
required personally to pay all or part of the disputed
expenses
D AO has broad authority toS^ppri^ve expenses bi
PROTECT your liability...
D Document..., Document..., Document...!!!! Anythii
is 'other' than the IAW JFTR/JTR and Service/Agenc
poltt QDFMR, Volume 9, Chapter 2, Para. 02 040 1C and
020401D for more detaHedJpformation
that
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Defense Travel System
Self- A uthorizing
D NO BLANKET TRAVEL ORDERS IN DTS
0 Designated in writing as 'Self-Authorizing
Official'
0 May approve their own travel
authorizations
0 CANNOT approve their own travel
or local voucher
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Defense Travel System
Other
Routing Officials!
7
Defense Travel System
Other Routing
Officials
AOs rely on others to assist in the process. These
functions can include:
^Reviewing the document for accuracy or local
policy
May be in routing list to apply a line of
accounting or manually reviewed for funding
availability
■>Will apply the 'Reviewed' stamp on document
-*Must be appointed in writing on DD 577
http://www.dod.mil/cofliptroller/fmr/05/05_33
7/18/2006
Other Routing Officials
Defense Travel System
The types of accountable officials can bef^
-^Finance Defense Travel Administrator (I
0 Responsible for establishing the site LOAs and
budgetary coding, (all financial and budgetary
actions at site)
0 Can review and assign LOA to authorization
Reviewing Officials (RO)
0 Review for accuracy and policy compli
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AO
Responsibilities
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Defense Travel System
AO Responsibilities
Utilizing DTS, the AO will:
□ Review and approve travel
arrangements
Ensure the arrangements
and
should-cost estimates are
reasonable and consistent
See the QffQfMR, Volume 9, Chapter 2,
Para.010401D t fy§4ftfff$giflfifri£Qfetf\&rmation on
AO and CO responsibilities
11 ■ 7/18/2006
Defense Travel System
Credit Card Usage
Does the traveler have a government credit cardL
(DoDFMR Vol 9 Chapter 3, 0303)
http://www.dod.mil/comptroller/fmr/09/09
lit caixl?^
Is airfare charged to personal government travel
credit card (IBA), ensure GOVCC-I is selected
Is airfare charged to centrally billed account (CBA),
ensure GOVCC-C is selected
Air Travel:
Carrier:
Flight:
Depart:
Northwest Airlines (NW)
452
MEM-Memphis, Tn (Usa)
14-Mar-05 1440
Arrive:
Method of
Reimbursement:
Ticket:
0121124786141
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eviewing Official Thravel
Commercial Air
Defense Travel System
✓ Mandatory Policy-Travelers Use Available CTO
u ^
✓ Contract "City Pairs capacity limits" should b the
first choice and "City Pairs" should foe it\e s<
choice s- c r\
✓ Can authorize other than
✓ American Flag Carriers are maijjdflfory within
CONUS and should be used for OCONUS travel if
available
✓ Coach Class should always be used
••Authorizing Business-class. Only officials listed in JTR,
par. C2204-B2b, and IFTR, par. U3125-B2b may
Documei^f^^e?&^<^8K)ff§iW?s^^§»ff ebfifaS>d9ei &&G&Class
(two-star level or civilian equivalent.
7/18/2006
Defense Travel System
"nravel Expenses
Rental Car/Government
✓ Cannot direct a traveler to use a rental
vehicle
✓ All costs associated with rental or
government
vehicle should be reimbursed to the
traveler
✓ Extra insurance not authorized in
CONUS
hp # wsrmwsf&r
. _ /than compact
✓ Can authorize size/quantity necessary
. . 14 7 / 18/2006
ate Auto "to" the TDY
Defense Travel System
✓ Cannot direct a traveler to use POV
✓ Mileage reimbursement authorized
✓ If POV is not authorized
reimbursement will be limited to cost of
authorized travel mode
Must use Defense Table of Official
Distances
(DTOD) to get official mileage
https://dtod.sddc. army . mil/
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Defense Travel System
Travel Expenses
Private Vehicle (POV)
✓ Mileage reimbursement limited to official
purposes only
✓ Travelers must identify in and around
miles
driven (log) (AO should set a
reasonable limit)
✓ Other reimbursable POV expen
Parking
fees, tolls, ferry, bridge or tun
to,
from, and around TDY site
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Defense Travel System
Travel Expenses
Public Transportation
The traveler is entitled to
reimbursement for
necessary public
transportation costs^
Taxi at the TDY Site
ST
■.v.v
■ ■ ■ ■ ■
^ Pre-approval is needed for
m Taxi at TDY/TAD site
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Lodging
✓ AO can direct government quarters only if:
0 Traveler is a uniformed member,
□Traveler is TDY to installation, and
□Government quarters exist on base
✓ Cannot direct a DoD Civilian to stay in
Government
Quarters**
✓ For certain situations an AO can authorize
up to
300% of the published per diem rate with
^ ufl tfMuVh@?R^MlV ,or > z / n 9 over the max per diem rate
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Defense Travel System
Meals & Incidental
ExpttIBes
Computa tion
✓ First/last day - 75% of the M&IE rate
Note: No reductions can be made on
last day
✓ Full M&IE rate: Prescribed for other
days
unless AO prescribes government
meal rate
(GMR) or proportional meal rate
(PMR)
✓ Cannot decrease a 9 meal rate after the 7/18/2006
Government Meal Rate
Defense Travel System
✓ Government Mess Rate:
0 Must be TDY to installation >
prescribe
the government mes
✓ All 3 meals available on
✓ Must prescribe Government mess
rate prior to trip
✓ Cannot decrease a meal rate after
the fact
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Proportional Meal Rate
Defense Travel System
✓ Must prescribe PMR mess rate prior to
trip
✓ Applies when one or twoi^^^nment
meals
are available, or
✓ Applies when one or two meals are
purchased
by government at no cost to traveler
✓ Cannot decrease a meal rate after the
fact 21
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Defense Travel System
Incidental Expenses
II meals proQ|||yat no cost to
the traveler
✓ If all three meals are purchased by the
government through some means -
such as
registration fee, only the incidental
portion
of M&IE is payable
✓ May apply to certain courses such as
PLDC,
ANOC, BNOC
✓ Note: Meals served on common
carriers are
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Miscellaneous
imbursable Expenses
Defense Travel System
✓ Transportation plus tips for taxi, limousine
J^iHH^Burtesy transportation to/from
terminals/hotels**
✓ Computer connections to perform
government business
✓ Non-refundable room deposits when TDY is
cancelled
✓ Parking fees at terminals - NTE
round trip
taxi fare olus tins
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Defense Travel System
Reimbursable
LEMpettse&es
Only applies to :
Lodging Taxes for travel in all 50 United Sta
District of Columbia, territories and
possessions, Commonwealths of
Rico and Northern Mariana Islai
For all other areas not listed abo
The lodging amount allowed inc
an amount for lodging taxes. Lo
taxes therefore, are not separat
reimbursable for these areas
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Defense Travel System
Payable When?
✓ TDY travel is within CONUS and requires at
least 7 consecutive nights TDY lodging in
tONUS
✓ Amount allowed:
Up to an average of $2 per day (Example: 6
nights, no
laundry; 7 nights, NTE $14; 8 nights, NTE
$16)
✓ Not a separate reimbursable expense for
OCONUS
travel
✓ Launrlrv pvnpn«;p<: ^Vp for rnQtQ inrurrorl 7/18/2006
Defense Travel System
Laundry Expenses
PajBIvttiaitSn?
✓ TDY travel is within CONUS and requires at
least 4 consecutive nights TDY lodging in
CONUS
✓ Amount allowed - actual laundry expenses
✓ Not a separate reimbursable expense for
OCONUS
travel
✓ Laundry expenses are for costs incurred
during
TDY (not after arriving or returning to the
PDS)
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Defense Travel System
Baggage Tips
Payable When?
✓ Military and Civilians : Tips for handling
Government property at terminals and hotels
are authorized
✓ Military only :
Customary tips for handling any baggage at
transportation terminals
r n
r t
4 *
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Defense Travel System
Official Phone Calls
Reimbursable Calls
✓ Local calls-official business ^
✓ Long distance calls-official business W/
✓ Phone calls to Home or Family Durin g TDYj
0 Advise of safe arrival * t ~ )
0 To inform or inquire about medical conditions
0 To advise regarding changes in itinerary
0 The AO should limit these calls to a dollar
amount in advance of TDY so traveler is aware of
the limit
Til® AO lias a broad authority to approve expenses
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Defense Travel System
1 Day TDY
Outside limits of PDS
✓ Approve standard business
transportation
✓ Authorize M&IE rate of 75% for TDY
location (highest rate if more than
one
location)
✓ Military/Civilians will be not
reimbursed for
meals unless TDY exceeds 12 hours **
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Rest Stops
Defense Travel System
✓ Rest stops can be
authorized if:
** Travel during normal sleeping
hours
0 Flight time/stopovers exceed
14 hours
0 Premium class has not been
authorized
✓ Rest stop shall not exce
24 hours
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Trips Home
Defense Travel System
✓ If authorized, may be
permitted for
TDY in excess of three weeks
** Roundtrip transportation
0 En route per diem
✓ If not authorized,
reimbursement is
limited to per diem at TDY
location
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After the TDY Travel
AO's main responsibility is to ensure
travel claim payments are:
✓ Legal
✓ For Official Business
✓ Properly Authorized
✓ Accurately Prepared
✓ Supporting Documentation
Retained for Review
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Receipts
Defense Travel System
✓
✓
✓
JTR, Volume 2, Chapter 1, Part E, C1310
Receipt Requirement
Travelers must obtain a final item ized j) aid reeii^f for
Airfare, Lodging, and RentaLCaw=egardless of the cost
Lodging expenses regardless of amoun
*+ Should identify name of hotel, dalfes of l&dging,
daily rate, numbe^n rogm, single room c\jst and
amount paid
Signed statement in lieuVf receipt is authorized\if
impractical to obtain or have been inadvertently lost
or destroyed. (See section 8) tn
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Receipts
Defense Travel System
Other Expenses
✓ Receipts are required for all expenses of $75 or rm
(per local policies - more receipts could be
required)
✓ Receipts should be itemized to include:
Name of company providing service
Type of expenses incurred
Amount paid
✓ Traveler must attach all receipts to voucher by either
faxing or scanning into DTS
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Receipts
Defense Travel System
JTR, Volume 2, Chapter 1, Part E, C1310
Review and_ Administrative Approval
The approving official must determine whether
or not the expenses claimed are reasonable
If expenses are:
✓ Inflated or
✓ higher than normal for similar services in
the locality
they will be disallowed
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7/18/2006
Defense Travel System
ommon Reimbursement
Errors
Common problems identified by the
Post Payment Audit Team
✓ Airfare reimbursement selection GOVCC-I, when CTO will
charge CBA. GOVCC is paid, not CBA.
✓ Duplicate payment of entitlement. Airfare and rental car
expenses are automatically figured into the system if the
reservation module is used. Traveler will then claim the
reimbursement in non mileage expenses, resulting in
duplicate payment.
✓ Travelers are claiming the amount of a cash advance as ATM
fees.
✓ Traveler uses DTS automated per diem lodging calculation in
lieu actual expenses.
✓ Receipts not attached to voucher via faxing or scanning.
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If a traveler parks in the airport parking lot
for a total of $200 and they are authorized the tax
fare of $30 each way, which should the AO approvi
The AO should approve the cost of the taxi
fare since they were authorized the taxi
fare and because the cost is less than
parking.
Can the AO approve the $200 for parking?
No, the parking reimbursement cannot exceed
the cost of the roundtrip taxi fare plus tips.
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Scenario 2
Defense Travel System
If a Uniformed Member is going TDY/TAD to an
installation but has requested commercial lodging
instead of government quarters, what should the AO
look for before approving the authorization?
The AO should look to see if the traveler has
made comments that government quarters
were not available and to see if they have
entered a Non-Availability number in the
document.
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A traveler has selected a First Class seat because i
was the only seat available and they needed to be
at a location in the morning to meet the mission,
can the AO approve this?
No, the AO cannot approve First Class
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Defense Travel System
Scenario 4
If a traveler is going TDY to an OCONUS site during
normal sleeping hours, the trip duration is
16 hours, and the traveler has been authorized a
rest stop en route, can the AO approve premium
class seating?
No, since the traveler has been authorized a
rest stop this disqualifies them from receiving
premium class seating.
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Scenario 5
Defense Travel System
After a traveler has been authorized commercial
lodging and the full meal rate, the traveler
returns and tells the AO that they ate all their
meals in the government mess. Can the AO reduce
the rate from full to the government mess rate
when the traveler completes their V
No, an AO cannot reduce a meal rate after the
fact except if it is included in a conference or
registration fee.
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7/18/2006
Defense Travel System
Scenario 6
If a Uniformed Member is going TDY/TAD to an
OCONUS site for 8 days, how much can you
approve for laundry/dry cleaning?
Uniformed Member and DoD Civilian
employees cannot be reimbursed for
laundry/ dry cleaning at OCONUS sites.
This is included in their incidental
expenses (IE).
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If a traveler is authorized to use their POV TDY
and the TDY site is 700 miles away, how many
days
will the AO approve for the trip each way?
Days
What if the traveler completed the 700 miles
in
one day, how many days should the AO
approve?
Day
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If the AO inadvertently approves a rental car on
the Authorization, can the AO deny reimbursement
on the Voucher?
No, the AO must reimburse the traveler for the
rental car if they authorized it for the trip.
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Additional Information
Defense Travel System
To assist them in their duties, AOs can
obtain additional information from:
Organizational Defense Travel
Administrator (ODTA'
>
> Appendix O, JFTR/J-
> Defense Travel System TA/eb Sites:
www.defensetravel.osd.mil
DTS Travel Center at:
http://63.146.182.178
wiwwHtifmil/tratfPlinlf
Address | j|] http://www.defensetravel.osd.mil/dts/site/index.jsp
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Summary
Defense Travel System
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Defense Travel System
Defense Travel System
Ques
ions
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Training Begins....
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